Meditation is an art, it is difficult to be in the state of meditation because our society has a tendency to want answers, NOW! You must understand that anything valuable in life cannot be achieved instantly. So the way to liberation through meditation should be simple and relaxed. You can meditate anywhere, anytime. You must meditate because you enjoy it, have fun, do not do it because you want to: improve inner peace, balance, presence of mind. NO! Do it because you like it. Enjoy the present and be self-aware. For beginner meditation, follow these steps:

Find a nice, quiet place, preferably in nature: being in nature allows you to essentially connect with the cosmos
Sit/ lie in any position you feel comfortable.
Be self-aware of what you are doing. Feel yourself, feel the blood flowing inside of you, feel your breathe. Focus on you and your body. Nothing else.
Once you feel comfortable and you are centered, listen to whatever is going on. Realize that what you are hearing is a manifestation of what your ears are sending to your brain. Do not judge the sound do not try to make out what it is. Sound is sound because you are there.
Your brain will continue to think about these sounds but it is important that you do not try to force these thoughts out of your mind accept and watch them.
Here you will realize that everything that is going on, inside of you (step 3) and the sounds (step 4) is connected. You are connected to the universe. You are not separate from nature, i.e. the world. In this state you are able to sink further and further into meditation until your body feels light and non-existent. In this state you are living in the present.

You must be patient with this. Once you have trained yourself to do this, you will feel more connected with the world and happenings. You will truly know what living in the present means.